


Of Daisies & Wild Lilies

by kainess



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Angst, EXO - Freeform, EXOK - Freeform, EXOM - Freeform, Gen, Multi, kpop
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-02-13 14:55:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12986463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kainess/pseuds/kainess
Summary: Kim Junmyeon has Asperger's Syndrome and Park Chanyeol is a boy who works at a flower shop down the street.





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> Would also like to say here that I do not have Asperger's Syndrome and Junmyeon's character personality is based off the research I've looked into. I'm trying my best to make it as realistic as possible and to not come off as a quirk or anything of those sorts. This is not meant to offend anyone by any means. Please enjoy the story :)

Poster was created by [Kurogane](https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1128555/kurogane-art-studio-graphic-shop-hiatus-giving-free-poster-graphics-malay-poster-request-posters-postershop-graphicshop-portfolio-art-posterrequest-giveaway-freeposter). Please check out their work~~

Poster created by [lolthebulge](http://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1321378/ooh-la-di-dah-a-poster-thread-graphics-poster-request-exo-chen-portfolio). Please check out her work~~

 

Kim Junmyeon finds himself crammed on a public bus of Seoul, South Korea on his way to one of his favorite shops. He's fidgeting with his fingers while looking around at the crowded bus. There were plenty of high school students since it was early in the morning. Junmyeon didn't mind them, they usually left him alone and didn't bother him. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, it was the middle aged people who would give him a hard time for the smallest things. He usually tried to keep to himself until he arrived to his bus stop and would hurry off to his destination.

He's sitting on the outside seat, his bag taking up the seat that's next to the window. He was heading to a flower shop in Seoul, The Flower Pot, and was excited to start reading a new book series that he had just picked up the other day at the library. His eyes linger on the window for a bit, taking in all the cars and people as the bus drives down the busy streets. He really liked Seoul; he always liked how the city life was. It was beautiful and he enjoyed seeing so many people in one place, though if he were honest he'd say that he enjoyed it from a safe distance. Sometimes being surrounded by loads of people was too much for him. 

He glances down at his clock; five minutes before it hit eight in the morning. He was an early bird and preferred to be at The Flower Pot every morning at exactly 8:15. The employee that worked at the register, a lovely woman named Soojung, always had a cup of coffee made for him by the time he got there. The Flower Pot was his home away from home. It was the place he visited every morning as a way to relax before the start of his busy day. His day goes the same way everyday: he takes the bus to The Flower Pot, gets off at 8:10, sits at the only table in the shop and sips on his coffee that Soojung prepared for him while reading his book. At exactly ten in the morning he takes the bus back home and prepares an early lunch for himself and his cat, Pancakes, before sitting down on his couch to eat and watch whatever program is being shown on the television. At twelve in the afternoon Junmyeon takes another bus to head to the library to pick out books to read the following morning at the flower shop, and a book to read before bed (the library was his other home away from home). He'll spend the next three and a half hours at the library reading whatever book he stumbles upon that he finds interesting. Once four in the afternoon rolls around he'll be back at home where he spends the rest of his day. It was simple and that's just how he liked it.

Junmyeon jerks up from his seat with his bag in hand once he reaches his stop. He thanks the bus driver with a bright smile before walking down the steps and onto the sidewalk. He smiles to himself as he stops to pull out the new book series he'd be reading, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. He knew he was a little late to the party, but Soojung was the one who suggested that he start reading more appropriate books in public after he tried to read Fifty Shades of Grey at the shop, which ended with him a stuttering and blushing mess. Harry Potter seemed appropriate enough for him to read in public and after all the years of the hype surrounding it he decided he'd finally give it a shot. He clutches the book in his hands as he walks toward The Flower Pot, humming a tune he heard earlier on the bus before reaching the front door.

The sight he saw when walking inside was not the most welcoming sight. At least not to Junmyeon, anyways.

Soojung was nowhere to be seen, there was no mug of coffee waiting for him at his table, and his _table_ \- there was someone already sitting at his table! He can feel his breathing starting to pick up as his eyes nervously glance around the once warm and welcoming shop. Where was Soojung and why was she letting someone else sit at his spot? That spot had been _his_ spot for the last three and a half years. The man, the _pink-haired_ man pops his head up when hearing the bell ring from the door opening. "Oh, shit," he mumbles and Junmyeon absolutely flinches from the choice of his language, "sorry, I didn't hear you come in. I didn't think anyone would come here so early, you know?" He rambles as he pushes himself up from the table. Junmyeon just stares at him in horror. What had he done to his lovely Soojung? He's clutching onto his book tighter as he just stares at the pink-haired man with round eyes. He had no idea what to do in this situation. What should he say to him? How should he react? He only swallows a forming lump in the back of his throat when the man stares at him expectantly as he moves to stand behind the register. _Oh no._

"Where's Soojung?" He finally asks when catching the hint that the other man was actually waiting for him to say something. 

"Soojung? Yesterday was her last day. She's starting college overseas and all that. Fancy, huh?"

"And you...you work in her place now?" He was hoping that wouldn't be true. Maybe he was just filling in for the day until another girl just like Soojung could start.

"Yup." Junmyeon feels his heart sink into his stomach. "Her parents own the place and I'm her cousin, so I was automatically the perfect candidate, you know?" He flashes a smug smile at the other and Junmyeon just stares with wide eyes. This... _man_ was Soojung's cousin? How was that possible? He acted nothing like her and he was way too loud for his liking. Soojung was nice and quiet; his favorite type of person. "I'm taking it that you knew her?" He sounds uncertain with his question, though he still has a confident aura about him. Junmyeon timidly shakes his head, his knuckles turning white from how hard he was gripping at the book against his chest. The pink-haired man stares at Junmyeon for a moment before his eyes widen and he jumps slightly in his spot. Junmyeon wasn't sure what was happening and he couldn't read the expression that the other had on his face. "Oh, shit!" He flinches once again from the loud language and timidly backs away. "You're Junmyeon, right? Ah, Soojung told me about you. If she were here she'd probably hit me for not having your coffee made already. I'm Park Chanyeol by the way." He says as he flashes a bright smile. "I didn't think you were such an early bird, but honestly I kind of tuned out when Soojung was telling me about you, so she probably mentioned that you like to come in early." This guy really had no shame, did he? 

He lets out a shaky sigh when Chanyeol hands him his mug of coffee. He hoped it would taste as good as Soojung's but he was starting to doubt that after just having one conversation with Chanyeol. Still, he thanks the pink-haired man anyways and anxiously makes his way to sit at the small table in the corner of the shop. He cracks open his book, exhaling slightly before reading the first page. He was already starting to calm down despite the hectic morning that he was having. It was almost as if Chanyeol wasn't there. That is until he-

"So you just come here to read?" Chanyeol asks as he sits in the empty seat across from him. He didn't even sit in it normally; no, he spun the chair around so that he would be sitting with his chest pressed against the back of the chair, his long legs spilling over on each side of the chair. Junmyeon's just staring at Chanyeol with wide eyes before closing the book carefully as if he'd damage it if he was any rougher. "Yes." He replies stiffly. 

"You don't ever want any flowers?" 

"I have allergies." 

"Then why do you read in a _flower_ shop?" He asks incredulously. Junmyeon was starting to feel like he was on a trial and he didn't care for that too much. "Because it's nice and quiet here."

"Why don't you read in your home then?" 

Junmyeon forces himself to take a deep breath, his heart racing in his chest from the endless questions that Chanyeol was shooting his way. It was like as soon as he answered one the pink-haired man just had another one ready. This was becoming tiring and his day was destined to be doomed from this. "Because I like to get out of the house sometimes." He's fidgeting with the book idly as he taps his foot against the floor nervously. He hated it when strangers asked him numerous questions at once; it always threw him into a bad day. He needed at least some warning before he was asked so many things, but that seemed too hard for people to do. "Ah, I see." Is all Chanyeol says before a silence grows over the pair. Junmyeon thought silence was what he wanted, but it was only making things awkward from the way Chanyeol was staring at him. He couldn't figure out why he was just staring at him and he was starting to grow restless.

"Harry Potter."

"What?"

"You're reading Harry Potter." He points out obviously. Junmyeon just glances down at the book before nodding his head. "I don't really like Harry Potter." He says and Junmyeon just furrows his eyebrows in response. He wasn't sure how that information was useful to him. He glances over at his nearly untouched coffee mug before looking back over at Chanyeol. "Why?" He knew that if someone started talking about something that you were supposed to keep the conversation going, so even though Junmyeon didn't know why Chanyeol was telling him this he figured it would do him some good if he asked about it anyways. Even if he didn't really care.

"It's too drawn out and boring." He shrugs before looking at the coffee mug. "Do you not like how I made your coffee? Does Soojung use a different type or something? I just used the kind she left yesterday." He mumbles and Junmyeon quickly shakes his head. "It's good." He blurts quickly before taking a long sip. "Yum." Chanyeol just forces a smile before looking around briefly. 

"How long do you usually read here in the mornings?" More questions? Junmyeon thought he'd start to cry if this didn't end soon. 

"One hour and forty-five minutes." 

"Every day?"

"Yup."

"One hour and forty-five minutes on the dot. Every day." He repeats slowly. Junmyeon wasn't sure why he was repeating what he just said, but he decided not to question it. The last thing he needed was more questions. Junmyeon nods his head in response and glances at the watch on his wrist. He'd only been here for twenty minutes. It was rare where he found himself wishing for time to go by quicker so he could leave the shop, but it wasn't the first time. He sighs quietly and lifts up his mug to take a sip of it. "You have OCD or something?" Junmyeon becomes flustered from the question and nearly spills his coffee onto the book beneath it. People weren't supposed to ask things like that. At least not so out of the blue or without warning. They weren't even holding a conversation that could lead up to that. His cheeks were red and shakily puts his mug back down. If Chanyeol knew that it was rude to ask such a thing then he didn't care as he was just staring at him while waiting for a response. 

"Y-Yes." He says after a few seconds of silence pass. Why did Soojung have to leave? She never asked him these type of questions. 

"I can tell." He responds simply before shrugging his shoulders. "It's no big deal though. Was just curious." He offers the clearly flustered man a warm smile, though it does nothing to ease Junmyeon's nerves. How long would it be before he started asking him more questions? Questions that were more personal than that one? Junmyeon needed to go back home but he didn't want to risk throwing the rest of his day off. Why did he have to be put in such a bad spot?

"I think..I uh, I have to go now." Junmyeon mumbles as he quickly grabs his book and dumps it into his bag. "It was nice meeting you, Chanyeol." He's lying. It was actually the opposite of nice meeting him, but he didn't think that Chanyeol deserved to know that. 

"You're leaving already? But it's only," he quickly glances at his phone, "it's only 8:40." He hums before smiling warmly. 

"I can catch the bus still if I leave now. There's one coming in ten minutes." He mutters as he quickly gets up from his seat. He was kind of disappointed if he were being honest. He really liked The Flower Pot, but he didn't think he'd be able to put up with Chanyeol's antics every day or his firsthand questions, so he figured it would be for the best if he just found another place to read at every day in the morning. He didn't want to do that though, so it was certainly putting him in a bad mood. 

"You take the bus?" Junmyeon's expecting Chanyeol to tease him for riding the bus; after all most adults his age had their licenses and could drive. That's why most adults his age made fun of him anyways. He's a little hesitant to answer, so instead he just ignores the question instead. "I ride the bus too." He says from his spot in the chair. "My shift ends around the time that you're _normally_ supposed to leave. If you want we can ride the bus together." Junmyeon freezes in his spot from the offer. He didn't see Chanyeol as a bus person, but his day was already filled with so many surprises. Why would he want to ride the bus with him though? Would that mean that Junmyeon would have to ride the bus with Chanyeol every day? _Oh, lord._

"Can't you drive?" Junmyeon asks with a raised eyebrow. 

"Nope." He says with a simple shrug. Junmyeon had felt a little bad about asking him such a personal question, but Chanyeol didn't seem to really care. He wasn't sure if he would react the same way if someone had asked him that question. 

"And you wouldn't mind riding the bus with me?" He asks as he shifts in his spot slightly. 

"I wouldn't mind. It's always better to have company on the bus anyways, right?" He asks with a tilt of his head. That was debatable in Junmyeon's mind, but he decided that it would be better if he went along with the other. "I guess so." He mumbles as he grips onto the straps of his bag. He didn't know why he couldn't just tell the other no, why he agreed with staying until ten _and_ riding the bus with him. Chanyeol smiles mischievously at him before gesturing back to the empty chair in front of him. "Look, I promise I'll have your coffee ready by the time you come in every morning and that your table will be empty and clean." He says as Junmyeon glances over at the table nervously. Chanyeol seemed to ease his nerves a little by saying that and he can almost see Junmyeon breathing again. 

"Promise?" He asks. "I won't sit down unless you promise." 

Chanyeol lets out a sigh though nods his head anyways. "I promise to keep your table clean and to have your coffee prepared by the time you come in." Junmyeon smiles at this and sits back down in his seat, pulling his book out and placing it back down on the table in front of him. "You also have to promise to be quiet while I read. You're too distracting." Chanyeol rolls his eyes at this though agrees nonetheless. 

"Guess I'll get back to doing my job then." He grumbles before getting up and heading back to the counter.

 

 

Chanyeol hums a tune that Junmyeon doesn't recognize as the pair wait by the bus stop. Junmyeon was still nervous about this new experience, but Chanyeol had proved to be somewhat of a decent human being when leaving him to read for the rest of his remaining time at the shop without interrupting or talking to him. Perhaps he would be coming back the following morning. He wasn't sure yet. "So, what do you do after you leave the shop?" Chanyeol asks as he slips his phone into his pocket.

"I go home and make an early lunch for me and my cat." He mumbles while looking around nervously. He glances down at his watch before whining quietly. The bus was five minutes late. Surely today wouldn't be going the way he wanted, right? 

"You make lunch for your cat?"

"Obviously. Someone has to feed him." He says with a raised eyebrow. Chanyeol just nods in response. "Then I go to the library at twelve and I stay there until thirty minutes past three. Then I go back home."

"That's it?" He asks with a raised eyebrow. "You don't do anything else until the next morning?" Junmyeon nods his head in response as he checks the time on his watch once again. It's only been a minute. Pancakes was probably starting to wonder where he was at and why his food wasn't being made yet. "Doesn't that get boring?" 

"Not at all." 

"Don't you have any friends to hang out with?" Chanyeol wasn't trying to sound rude or come across as insensitive; it was just the way he spoke to people. Sometimes a little too blunt and honest, and he didn't have much of a filter when it came to holding conversations with others. It's why he only had a small group of friends, but he preferred to keep it that way, however that didn't mean that he didn't like going out of his comfort zone and trying to make new friends every now and then, even if he was doing a horrendous job at doing so. Junmyeon's flustered once again and his cheeks are a shade of red as he nervously clears his throat. It's clear to Chanyeol that he's now hit a sore spot and decides to diffuse the situation. "Hey, I don't have many friends either. It's not a big deal, you know?" Junmyeon was glad that Chanyeol wasn't teasing him, and if he was then he couldn't tell, but that didn't make him feel too much better. He didn't have many friends; actually he didn't have any with the exception of Pancakes and Soojung, but he wasn't sure if Soojung counted or not anymore since she was leaving the country. He normally didn't mind the lack of friends he had because he had his endless amount of books and his cat to keep him company, but he couldn't deny the tinge of sadness he felt whenever seeing a group of friends out together or being questioned about having friends. If he were being honest though, Junmyeon didn't know how to go about having friends; he had no idea where to even start or what to say. Socializing wasn't his strongest skill and he often made a fool out of himself when trying to make a new friend. It's why he just stuck to his books and cat.

It helped a little to know that Chanyeol also didn't have many friends, though he couldn't exactly say that he was surprised. Still though, he helped. "I have two friends." He decides to say anyways, perking up slightly when seeing the bus approach from around the corner. 

"Oh? That's cool." Chanyeol says with a small smile. "How many do you have?" Junmyeon asks curiously.

"I have ten." Oh wow, that was more than he was expecting. Chanyeol had a lot of friends; he wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about when saying he didn't have many friends. He just fiddles with the straps of his bag until the bus pulls up, the two sliding their bus passes before making their way to their seats. 

"What are you doing?" Chanyeol asks as he looks down at Junmyeon. He's sitting on the outside of the seat again with his bag taking up the one next to the window, Chanyeol standing next to him. "Move over." He gestures to the empty seat with his head. Junmyeon hesitates before grabbing his bag and sliding over to the seat where his bag was originally. He wasn't used to sitting next to the window; he liked sitting on the outside so it was easier for him to get off the bus. Now that Chanyeol was sitting next to him, he was afraid he'd have a harder time getting off. What if he misses his stop because he doesn't get out in time?

"You know," he pulls out his phone, sliding the lock screen open, "it's rude to take up an empty seat with your bag. If the bus is crowded someone could use that seat." Chanyeol hums and glances over at the other. Junmyeon only shrinks in his seat slightly. He didn't know what he was doing was considered rude. Is that what people on the bus thought of him? Did the bus driver think he was rude for doing that? "What stop do you get off at?" He asks as he opens a text message. Junmyeon wasn't a nosy person, so he quickly averts his eyes from Chanyeol's screen. 

"Sixth stop." He responds meekly. 

"Really?" The pink-haired man perks up at this and Junmyeon just looks at him in confusion.

"Yes..." He says slowly. He wasn't sure why that was anything of significance. 

"That's my stop too!" Junmyeon couldn't believe what he was hearing. Not only did he share the same bus schedule with this man, but they also shared the same stop as well? Why was the universe after him today? What had he done wrong to deserve this? At least he didn't have to worry about missing his stop. "Do you have a long walk from the stop? Is your house far?" _More questions._ Junmyeon decided that Chanyeol was the type of person who would always be asking questions, so he should probably start getting used to it if they were going to be spending so much time together.

"A bit. It's a thirteen minute walk." 

"That's not too bad. Mine's a thirty minute walk. My boyfriend usually waits for me at my stop and drives me home." Boyfriend? This man had ten friends _and_ a boyfriend? How was he so popular when he spoke the way he did? He didn't think someone would actually spend their free time with Chanyeol willingly, let alone be involved with him romantically. He knew he was sounding rude and he hated that, but he was just being honest. He watches as Chanyeol sends the message he had been working on, probably one that was letting his boyfriend know that he was on the bus. Without much warning, Chanyeol's leaning over Junmyeon and pulling at the cord. He scrunches his nose in distaste as he tries to move away from Chanyeol, the smell of his cologne overpowering his nose. "Sorry." He snorts when seeing how uncomfortable the other was. "But we were gonna miss our stop." 

Junmyeon carefully stands up and follows Chanyeol off the bus once it comes to a stop, making sure that he properly thanks the driver before getting off. Chanyeol was right; there was a 2015 Black Honda Accord waiting at the bus stop for him. It was a nice car, a popular one in the area. After a moment the window on the driver's side rolls down, a face with an annoyed expression now visible. Junmyeon definitely recognized that facial expression. "You're late." The man, who Junmyeon assumes is Chanyeol's boyfriend says. 

"The bus was running late today." He offers with a shrug. However, as soon as the scowl formed on the man's face a smile appears instead, his heart shaped lips curving upwards as the skin around his eyes crinkle. "I'm just messing with you." He says gently. He was pretty; Junmyeon could see why Chanyeol would pick this man as his boyfriend. He has chestnut brown hair that was longer in the front than it was in the back, styled nicely to the side. He had round eyes and plump lips and Junmyeon thought he might just be the most adorable man he's ever seen. "This is my new friend, Junmyeon." Chanyeol introduces him for him and Junmyeon's staring at the other with wide eyes. Did he just call Junmyeon his new friend? "This is my boyfriend, Kyungsoo." He says and gestures over to the smiling man in the car. 

"It's nice to meet you." Kyungsoo says before glancing at the clock in his car. "Does he need a ride home?" Junmyeon feels his cheeks heating up as he quickly shakes his head. "It's not far from here." He says as he grips onto his bag tightly. He didn't accept rides from people he didn't know; that was a given. It was just a way for him to be exposed to awkward conversation and endless questions. He's pretty sure he had enough of that for the day.

"Oh, come on." Chanyeol whines as he nudges his side playfully. "It's hot out. It's the middle of July. You'll get hot walking home, won't you? It'll be faster this way anyways. The sooner you get home the sooner you'll be able to make your cat lunch, right?" He got him there. Junmyeon glances around anxiously before half-heartedly agreeing. He was only doing this for Pancakes. Chanyeol sends Junmyeon a playful wink before the pair walk towards the car. Junmyeon nervously climbs into the back seat of the car, carefully buckling himself in and resting his bag on his lap while Chanyeol climbs into the passenger seat, pressing a soft kiss to Kyungsoo's cheek. "Where do you live?" Kyungsoo asks before handing Junmyeon his phone so he can type in his address. Once he has everything put in he hands the phone back to the other. "Thanks." He mumbles before turning his attention to Chanyeol. "How was your first day of work?" Kyungsoo asks the pink-haired man. 

"I think it went well, right Junmyeon?" He asks and looks back at the other. Junmyeon just nods his head in response. He was extremely out of his comfort zone right now and all he was focusing on was how to keep his breathing at a normal rate. Chanyeol just introduced him as his friend and the last thing he needed was to have an anxiety attack in the back of his boyfriend's car. That would probably put a damper on their new found friendship. "He's my loyal customer. Even though he doesn't really buy anything." Chanyeol snorts as he leans back in his seat. 

"Is that so?" Kyungsoo asks with a light chuckle. "Do you go to The Flower Pot a lot, Junmyeon?" He nods his head before realizing that he wouldn't be able to see him since he was focusing on the road. "Yeah." He forces himself to say. Kyungsoo had a softer voice and it reminded him of Soojung, so he automatically took a liking to him. He didn't seem to be anything like Chanyeol. "Do you have a job?"

"Kyungsoo." Chanyeol whines from his seat. "You don't ask people those things." He mumbles in embarrassment. Junmyeon found it ironic that he was chastising his boyfriend for asking such a question when Chanyeol himself had asked him if he had OCD earlier. "What? You probably asked him worse." Junmyeon can't help but giggle from his words. He knew his boyfriend pretty well. 

"I don't." Junmyeon says shyly. "But I volunteer at an animal shelter on the weekends." That was true. Saturday and Sunday were the only two days of the week where he didn't follow his normal schedule. His father got him a job at his aunt's animal shelter in Seoul and he loved every second of it. He did get paid, so he wasn't sure if he could actually call it volunteering, but still. He liked being able to work with dogs and cats on the weekends after a long week. It was a nice stress reliever and his aunt and the other employees were always so nice to him. He'd like to work there more than just two days out of the week, but he didn't want to deal with moving his schedule around. The thought just stressed him out.

"Really? That's cool. I'd love a job like that." He hums as he rounds a corner. 

"Do you have a job?" For whatever reason, he didn't find himself uncomfortable or anxious when talking to Kyungsoo. He figured it must have something to do with his soft voice and somewhat innocent appearance. 

"I do," he answers as he slows down the street, no doubt looking for Junmyeon's apartment, "I'm a private instructor. I give piano and singing lessons as my students' homes." Junmyeon awes silently when learning about his job. That must mean that Kyungsoo was talented in the singing and music department. That was cool; maybe he could teach Junmyeon how to sing one day. 

"Cooler than my job, right?" Chanyeol jokes around when seeing Junmyeon's face in the rearview mirror. Kyungsoo just rolls his eyes in protest and gently hits Chanyeol in his arm. "Hush now." It was hardly deemed a threat, but Chanyeol listened to the other anyways. "Oh, is this it?" Kyungsoo asks when braking suddenly in front of an apartment complex. "Sorry." He says sheepishly when seeing the startled expressions on both Chanyeol and Junmyeon's faces. Junmyeon's dazed for a moment before looking out the car window, smiling in content when seeing that he was home. 

"It is. Thank you, Kyungsoo." He says softly before unbuckling himself and opening the car door. He closes the car door behind him before heading towards his apartment, hearing Chanyeol yell a "see you tomorrow" and Kyungsoo telling him to have a good day before driving off. Junmyeon couldn't deny the warm feeling spreading throughout his body as a smile forms on his lips.

 

 

The front door closes behind Junmyeon with a soft click, Pancakes' meows filling the air. "I'm home." Junmyeon calls out softly before he hears the soft pitter-pattering of his cat coming down the hall. He's rubbing against his legs within seconds, purring loudly in demand for food. "I know, I'm sorry. I got held up and the bus was late." He whines and leans down to pick up the small and fluffy gray cat. Pancakes nuzzles his cheek as Junmyeon carries him into the kitchen. "I think I made a new friend today. Maybe two if I'm lucky." Pancakes meows at this and Junmyeon gently places him on the counter. He grabs a can of tuna and opens it carefully, draining it of the water inside before pouring it into the cat bowl. 

He glances over at the clock, frowning when realizing what time it was. It was almost thirty minutes past ten and he'd have to head to the library soon. He was a little disappointed that his lunch would be cut short, but he shrugs it off and opens the fridge to find a snack instead. He wasn't willing to give up his time at the library for his lunch; then the rest of his day would really be screwed up. He chews at his bottom lip carefully as he ponders his options over carefully. He was still unsure if he actually wanted to go back to The Flower Pot tomorrow, but he would feel bad if he didn't show after learning that Chanyeol was expecting him to go the next morning. He figured it wouldn't hurt and if the bus actually arrived on time that maybe he would be able to go about his day tomorrow as he normally would. He grabs a bag of sliced fruits from the fridge before closing it and making his way over to his living room couch. Perhaps his day would go better tomorrow if he actually knew what to be expecting. He knew Chanyeol would be there and he knew that he was louder than Soojung, but he might also see Kyungsoo again tomorrow and he was nice. 

With a quiet sigh he settles into his couch and opens the bag of sliced fruits. Yes, tomorrow would go better since he knew what to expect. 

\---

_A/N: Here's how Chanyeol & Junmyeon will look in this story :)_

_because kokobop was a look_


	2. two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: There are mentions of a panic attack towards the end of the chapter. If you're sensitive to reading that material then please be careful. Happy reading~

A shaky sigh leaves Junmyeon's lips as he glances down at the watch on his wrist. It's 8:13 and he's standing right outside the The Flower Pot. He's rocking on the heels of his feet anxiously as he glances inside the window, the pink haired man from earlier standing idly at the front counter with a rag in his hand; Junmyeon assumed it was for dusting purposes though Chanyeol spent more time nearly dozing off than cleaning anything. He glances down at his watch once again. 8:14. He only had fifty-nine seconds to figure out if he was going to go inside; anything later than that and he would just go home. No point in showing up if he's late; even if it's only a minute late. His hands are gripping onto the straps of his bag tightly, his knuckles white as he stares ahead anxiously. If he went inside, what were the chances of Chanyeol asking him nonstop questions? The chances were definitely high. Nonetheless, something inside of him urged him to go inside or should the rest of his day hit the fan if this one thing were to be knocked out of place. And with an exhale he steps inside.

"Junmyeon!" He shouldn't be surprised that the first thing to greet him is Chanyeol's overly loud voice, yet he still found himself jumping at the sudden shout. He was probably waiting for him so he could manage to keep himself from falling asleep by pestering Junmyeon nonstop. He's lucky that he finds Kyungsoo lovely or else he wouldn't have come back today. 

"Good morning, Chanyeol." He says with a forced smile, giving him a curt nod before making his way over to his usual- and only- table. He hoped he wasn't coming across as rude, as Junmyeon hated being rude, but with Chanyeol...how could he put it kindly? Being with Chanyeol was completely nerveracking. The man was unpredictable; for goodness sake his hair was pink! The most noticeable pink there was; not even a pastel pink or a soft pink. No, it was _neon_ pink. That gave him the impression of Chanyeol right away. Well, okay, it wasn't _exactly_ neon pink, it was much softer than neon, but still. Perhaps he was being too judgemental, but these things couldn't be helped. It never hurt him to be wary around strangers. Especially strangers that looked and acted like Park Chanyeol. 

"Sticking to the same schedule today?" He hums as he strides over to the table that he was sitting at. Didn't Chanyeol promise him that he would stay quiet so he could read? It was the only thing that would make him stay.

"Of course." He mumbles and pulls out the book from his bag. "It's the same schedule every day. After this I'm taking the bus and going home-"

"Kyungsoo is picking me up again. If you want we can drop you off. It's getting pretty hot out." He hums and takes the empty seat in front of Junmyeon, sitting in the odd way as he did the previous day. He pauses for a moment. He wanted to say no, but something in him was urging him to reconsider. He did decide to go through with it yesterday and that within itself was a pretty rare occurrence but he somehow didn't find himself regretting it too much. Sure, it was awkward at first and maybe some boundaries were crossed, but Junmyeon actually found the ride fun and could possibly see himself maybe becoming friends with at least Kyungsoo. Not to mention he got home earlier than usual, which gave him more time to prepare lunch for himself and Pancakes. Well, actually he got home a little late, but that was more of the bus' fault for arriving late than it was Chanyeol or Kyungsoo. There weren't really too many cons other than putting up with Chanyeol for a little longer.

"Okay." Junmyeon responds after a minute or two of consideration. Chanyeol shoots him a beaming smile, his fingers tapping on the wooden and polished surface of the table before pushing himself out of his seat. "Great! I'll let you get back to your reading; I remember our promise." He snorts before heading over back to the counter.

 

 

It was a wonder how The Flower Pot stayed in business now that Chanyeol was a part of it. He rarely did anything other than play on his phone and zone out while standing at the counter. From observing Soojung he knew that there was plenty of stocking to be done, especially since the shop didn't get too many customers in the morning shift so the first shift was normally spent gathering supplies and making sure that the next workers would be ready for rush hour which was a little later in the day. Junmyeon had no doubt that Soojung could handle customers and rush hours, but Chanyeol? There's probably a reason he was put on the morning shift. Less customers to annoy and less things to screw up, right? In fact, here they were about to leave and The Flower Pot had only received a single customer within the time that Junmyeon had been there. And how much stocking did Chanyeol manage to do this _very_ busy shift? None. It was a wonder he wasn't fired yet.

Junmyeon slides his book into his bag, having successfully read around three and a half chapters. Chanyeol's already changed out of his uniform and has bouquet of daisies in his hands by the time he spares him a glance, the morning to afternoon shift employee walking in. He wasn't sure why he was so surprised to see Chanyeol standing with a bouquet of daisies in his hands. It was more than likely for Kyungsoo, but maybe he just wasn't used to seeing Chanyeol make romantic gestures like that? Who would have thought that he could be a decent and romantic guy? He supposes Kyungsoo was dating him for a reason. "Good morning, Chanyeol. Manage to get anything done today?" The man asks as he ties the brown apron around his neck and waist. 

"Of course not." He replies with a dismissive wave of his hand. Junmyeon knew the man; not enough to know his name, but he knew him. He would always come in a few minutes before he would leave for the bus. He seemed nice enough; he would offer Junmyeon a soft 'hello' and would spare him a small smile before disappearing into the back, probably getting ready for his shift. The man was blonde with a nice tan and he always seemed to be sporting blue eye contacts. He was tall too; maybe an inch or two under six feet. 

"Why can't you just do your job?" The man whines childishly, though there's a smile on his face. They must have already known each other before Chanyeol got the job.

"Tomorrow, Taehyung." Chanyeol snorts before smiling at Junmyeon. "Ready to go?" He only nods in response, Chanyeol bidding a farewell to Taehyung, apparently, as he walks out. He seems to notice the curious stare from Junmyeon when he startles the other with a breathy laugh. "They're for Kyungsoo." He says, gesturing to the flowers. "He loves daisies. Well, he tolerates them the most compared to other flowers. He's not big on flowers, but I still like to give them to him." He snorts quietly, a small yet bashful smile on Chanyeol's lips as he stares down at the colorful flowers. The bouquet was beautiful, Junmyeon didn't see why Kyungsoo wouldn't like it. It had white, yellow, pink, and red daisies. Junmyeon would be flattered himself if he were to receive such a thing. Chanyeol shouldn't worry so much over it. "Our house is littered with vases filled with daisies." Chanyeol says after another moment of silence passes. It looked as if the bus was going to be late once again. "If he's tired of receiving daisies then he certainly hasn't said anything about it."

 

 

The bus ride itself was fairly quiet with hardly any words shared between the pair. Chanyeol brought his earbuds today and gave the left one to Junmyeon who was sitting in the window seat. "Hey, Junmyeon." Chanyeol says softly and turns to look at the other. Junmyeon's attention is pulled from Russian Roulette, the song that was currently playing, as his gaze lands on the other. "Kyungsoo has to quick run an errand after picking us up, is that okay with you?" Junmyeon feels himself grow anxious, his foot tapping on the ground quickly. It would depend on how long this errand would be. He was on a schedule, after all, and he did need to get home to feed Pancakes. 

"Where's he going?" He asks in a small voice. He hoped that he wouldn't be intruding in the other's privacy.

"He just has to pick up some last minute things. We're throwing this party over the weekend and we're inviting our friends. I think he just needs some food or something. He hasn't really told me. Shouldn't be too long though," he adds the last part as if he were able to read Junmyeon's concerns from his facial expression alone, "since he already has a list. He's a pretty organized person. It's why I leave him in charge of planning things." Junmyeon's fiddling with his fingers nervously, his eyebrows furrowed as he remains deep in thought. He really didn't want to risk ruining his entire schedule, but he also didn't want to be rude.

"Promise I'll be back in time to feed my cat?"

"What time do you need to be back by?" Chanyeol asks as he leans over the other and pulls the cord.

"I normally get home at 10:15." He mumbles as he picks up the bag from his lap and gets up, stepping off the bus after Chanyeol. Just like last time, the same Black Honda Accord's waiting for them at the stop.

"We'll get you home by then." He says before waving at Kyungsoo excitedly. "Here, babe." Chanyeol says quickly before handing the shorter man the bouquet of daisies once he gets to the car. A giggle escapes Kyungsoo's lips as his cheeks turn a faint shade of red, Chanyeol climbing into the passenger seat afterwards.

"You didn't need to, Yeol." He gushes as he sniffs the flowers briefly. For someone who only tolerates daisies, he sure was getting quite flustered over his partner's gesture. Junmyeon found it endearing. "I can put these on the windowsill of the main window in the kitchen. I think it'll look lovely there." He says softly before placing the flowers in the empty space between them.

 "Junmyeon can join us for errands, he just has to be home by 10:15. He has to feed his cat." Chanyeol says as Junmyeon buckles himself in.

"We can drop you off so you can quick feed your cat and then we can go once it's fed." He says with a soft smile as he pulls out of the spot he was parked in. "Because I don't know how long it'll take." Kyungsoo mumbles. In that moment, as silly as it may seem, Junmyeon feels his world crumbling around him. They'd drop him off so he could quick feed his cat and then leave? Everything was being done out of order. What about him? What would he eat? He still has to go to the library at twelve. The panic must have shown on his face because Kyungsoo's exchanging a glance filled with worry to Chanyeol. "That's okay, right? That way your cat will have food and then we can go."

"Oh, w-well-" he's stammering and he's on the verge of forgetting all the words in his vocabulary, "I have to head to the library by twelve and then what will I eat if I go home too late? I have to go to the library no matter what." It was true. The library was his safe haven. Even if he managed to somehow mess up his entire schedule and skip everything, he always made it to the library. Should he ever miss the library, he's afraid he might have an actual mental breakdown. That would be embarrassing to have in front of the two, no doubt.

Kyungsoo has an odd look cross over his features, his eyebrows furrowed. "Do you work at the library? Does your shift start at twelve?"

"He has OCD." Chanyeol says before Junmyeon can even respond to Kyungsoo's questions. He feels himself flush in embarrassment, and the quick and dirty look that Kyungsoo sends Chanyeol's way doesn't help.

"You can't just blurt those things out, Chanyeol." He snaps quietly. "It isn't your place to say those kind of things and Junmyeon might not have wanted me to know that." He huffs as he drives down the road. There's a thick silence and Junmyeon feels like he's just walked into the middle of a couple's feud. He nervously glances out the window, watching as buildings and homes pass in a blur as Kyungsoo drives down the road. He wasn't sure where they were going; he probably should have asked Chanyeol beforehand. "Tell you what," Kyungsoo starts in a soft voice that's no doubt directed at Junmyeon and not Chanyeol, "after you finish feeding your cat, maybe Chanyeol and I can take you out for lunch or something. Or we can bring you to our house and I can cook something up. We have time before twelve, right? I can drop you off at the library myself." 

"That sounds like a good idea! And aren't Jongdae, Minseok, and Baekhyun coming over as well? Oh, a mini house party. Should I invite the others?" While Junmyeon was actually considering Kyungsoo's invite, he quickly rejected the idea after hearing that there would be other people in the house with him. That made him nervous. How many people could he creep out from his stare in one go? And how many questions would they throw at him? 

"Oh, well, I don't know..." He mumbles as he glances down at his hands that were resting in his lap. Deep and steady breaths. It would all be okay, at least that's what he likes to tell himself. It's okay to say no; he doesn't have to say yes to anyone. Especially if it would make him uncomfortable. He always did this though; he always stalled with saying no so he wouldn't hurt someone's feelings. He really should learn how to say no. It's not like Kyungsoo and Chanyeol would get mad at him for turning down their invite, right?

"Come on, it'll be nice. Kyungsoo is a really good cook." Chanyeol turns around in his seat as he speaks so he can look at Junmyeon. "You'd love his cooking!"

"Oh, Chanyeol stop." He laughs quietly and Junmyeon swears he can see his cheeks starting to heat up.

"I can be at the library by twelve?" He asks in a small voice. Kyungsoo quickly nods his head in agreement, something that made Junmyeon feel at least a little more comfortable with the idea. "I can get you there exactly at twelve. Or even a few minutes early. Up to you." He says as he turns onto Junmyeon's street. Shopping and that was it; Junmyeon would just ask to go home afterwards. Simple as that.

 

 

Junmyeon is possibly the worst person when it comes to saying no. A good example of this would be that Junmyeon was sitting at Chanyeol and Kyungsoo's counter, waiting for Kyungsoo to finish lunch. Another example? The three extra people that were sitting with him. They actually just arrived and Junmyeon's wondering if anyone caught his brief expression of panic; he's never been too good at hiding his feelings. 

"This is Junmyeon," Chanyeol says with a bright smile, gesturing over to Junmyeon, "and this is Minseok, Baekhyun, and Jongdae." He points to each of the men while listing off their names, Junmyeon timidly following along. "They're quiet. Well, Minseok is quiet." He snorts under his breath. They seemed...nice. He was trying his best not to be too judgemental, Soojung had once told him that in order to make new friends (should he ever want some) he'd have to stop judging people the minute his eyes land on them. Easier said than done of course, especially if he's too paranoid that they may be making fun of him without him being aware of it. Wouldn't be the first time that happened to him in a conversation. 

They must have caught how timid he was when Baekhyun speaks up with, "hey, relax. We don't bite, unless you want us-"

"Keep talking and I'll stab you." To say that Junmyeon's surprised that Kyungsoo, the _lovely and sweet Kyungsoo_ , just threatened to stab someone in front of him would be an understatement. 

"You look surprised. His true colors are showing." Jongdae, the tallest one out of the three laughed. Junmyeon's eyes are wide and he's eyeing Kyungsoo's knife carefully, unsure if he'll actually come through with his threat. "Relax," this time it's the redhead again, Baekhyun, who's speaking, "he won't actually stab me. He's promised to multiple times, but he never has."

"Maybe one day I'll come through with that promise." He mumbles angrily while chopping up vegetables. Junmyeon's looking around unsure of himself and the situation, pulling at his fingers anxiously. 

"He won't actually stab him." Chanyeol whispers when noticing the expression on his face. "Just banter; nothing more." He feels himself ease slightly. Banter. He should have figured that. Because it was difficult for Junmyeon to figure out if people were actually arguing or messing around, banter was one of the things that happened to go over his head; he figured if he were to try out on banter he would just end up offending someone. Maybe by saying something too flat or just inappropriate.

Between Chanyeol and his friends, Junmyeon isn't sure how Kyungsoo manages to stay sane. Maybe it's from Minseok, the shorter male, who's silently helping him in the kitchen. If he had to place money on it, he'd bet that Minseok is Kyungsoo's friend. He figured he could take a liking to Minseok as well if he was anything like the shorter man, though he wasn't so sure if the same could be said about Baekhyun and Jongdae. Thinking back to Chanyeol, however, he can see what the other meant when saying that the house was filled with vases of daisies. He was true to his word; on every counter, tabletop, windowsill, etc., there was at least one vase of daisies. Chanyeol certainly seemed to be the romantic type, maybe Kyungsoo was actually the lucky one in the relationship. 

"Junmyeon," Kyungsoo's soft voice can be heard calling his name from the kitchen, "would you like to help? You look a little lost." He flushes in embarrassment though Kyungsoo only laughs quietly in response. He figured he did look a little odd with standing in the middle of the living room as he blankly stares at everyone. This was probably why he didn't have many friends. He quickly finds himself scurrying into the kitchen and timidly placing himself in-between Kyungsoo and Minseok. Minseok gives Junmyeon a bright gummy smile the moment his eyes land on him and Junmyeon can't help but feel his cheeks redden as he smiles shyly in response. 

"I know we were already introduced, but I'm Kim Minseok. It's nice to meet you." He formally introduces himself before bowing slightly. Junmyeon has already decided that he likes Kim Minseok. Kyungsoo has good taste in friends. 

"I'm Kim Junmyeon." He responds and shifts anxiously on his feet. He didn't understand why introductions were so hard for him. Minseok was nice enough, yet he was still having a hard time. Sometimes he thinks he really is a lost cause. 

"I figured you could come in and help us since you looked a little uncomfortable. I know that hanging out with Chanyeol, Baekhyun, and Jongdae can be a bit much." He mumbles before smiling slightly. "You don't even have to help us cook. You can just keep us company if you'd like." Minseok nods his head along with Kyungsoo's words. 

"We're almost done anyway, but I know how much the three of them can talk an ear off." Minseok snorts under his breath while adding mushrooms, spinach, spring onions, garlic, and soy sauce into the pan that was heating on the stove top. "We're making bibimbap." 

"Brown rice pork bibimbap." Kyungsoo adds with a playful wink. He's currently covering the bowl containing the cooked and seasoned pork with foil in order to keep it from going cold. "Could you grab us," he turns to briefly count the people in the household, "six eggs, Junmyeon?" He quickly nods his head, most definitely wanting to impress the two in the kitchen. He wanted to be as helpful as possible, even for simple and mundane tasks such as fetching eggs. "Thank you." Kyungsoo hums as he hurries over to the fridge. "They're on the top shelf." He informs when seeing Junmyeon looking through the fridge. He's back by Kyungsoo's side within a few seconds with the egg carton in his hands. "I think we should have enough eggs left." He mumbles, watching Junmyeon place the carton onto the counter. 

"Perfect." Junmyeon says in content when opening the carton and seeing exactly six eggs, all in perfect condition. He loved when things worked out like this. The next several minutes go by in peace with Junmyeon in charge of adding the rice into the six bowls, Kyungsoo cooking the eggs, and Minseok helping Junmyeon with adding the pork and vegetables. It turns out that Minseok is also a perfectionist just like Junmyeon (much to his surprise and pleasure), each man making sure that the mushrooms, spinach, etc. were all placed evenly on top of the rice. 

"Beautiful." The three men say once Kyungsoo places the last egg on top of the food. Junmyeon understood why Chanyeol was so big on praising Kyungsoo's cooking abilities. Even though bibimbap was a common meal, it still smelled and looked as good as a course that would be served in a five star restaurant. He's not sure why he's not going to school to become a chef. "Lunch is ready!" Kyungsoo yells out, startling Junmyeon out of his thoughts. Within seconds the trio can hear footsteps running towards their direction, Minseok and Kyungsoo shaking their heads before grabbing their bowls. 

"You should grab a bowl now before those gremlins take the ones with the most food." Minseok snorts before heading towards the dining room table. Junmyeon listens to his advice and grabs a bowl just as Chanyeol, Baekhyun, and Jongdae come barreling into the kitchen. 

 

 

"You should invite Junmyeon over more often!" Baekhyun says through a mouthful of food. 

"Baekhyun, please." Kyungsoo groans quietly, Jongdae slapping a napkin onto Baekhyun's mouth. "Thanks." Kyungsoo snorts quietly. 

"Seriously though," he wipes his face clean of food, "he's really good with cooking! You cook for your cat, right? Waffles?"

"Pancakes." He mumbles as he squirms in his seat, nervously glancing around when feeling everyone's gaze now on him.

"Is your cat fat? If you make food for your cat, I mean." Jongdae laughs from the absurdity of Baekhyun's question. "Because I would become fat if you cooked for me all the time." Junmyeon isn't sure whether that's a compliment or not, but if the warm and friendly smile Baekhyun's giving him is any indicator he decides he'll take it as one. 

"Honestly, I think you should cook more with Kyungsoo and Minseok. You guys are making miracle dishes here." Jongdae praises. Junmyeon smiles shyly, his cheeks turning a dark red. He wasn't used to compliments; he hardly ever received them. So now that he was receiving compliments from two people at once, it was becoming a little overwhelming. 

"I didn't do much. I didn't even cook anything. I just placed the ingredients in the bowls." He says before carefully taking a bite out of his lunch. 

"That's the most important part though." Chanyeol hums from his spot next to Kyungsoo. "Putting the dish together can make or break bibimbap." He informs with wide eyes before Kyungsoo quietly reminds the other to talk once he's done eating. It takes a few seconds for Chanyeol to finish chewing and swallow his food before he's back to his earlier point. "Obviously cooking the food correctly is a crucial step as well, but you have to put it together right too." 

"I see. Thank you." Is all Junmyeon offers in response. Honestly, he didn't see how he contributed too much, but he decided to just accept the appraisals and move on. He'd be a fool to fight with someone who was complimenting him. 

That's how the next two hours go, surprisingly well and with few hiccups (on both Junmyeon's and Chanyeol's side) as the party of six endlessly talk about whatever comes to mind. Junmyeon had to admit that it was pretty entertaining to see Jongdae and Baekhyun bicker with Kyungsoo, though he still wasn't sure when Kyungsoo was playing around or actually threatening them, and considering that the two liked to egg him on even more despite the outcome didn't help him figure it out any faster. Minseok liked to silently observe the trio from his seat, only occasionally butting in to pick Kyungsoo's side and only add fuel to the growing fire. Junmyeon found out that Minseok wasn't as innocent as he appeared; he seemed to like egging everyone on at just the right moment. 

Chanyeol, on the other hand was surprisingly quiet compared to earlier. He definitely thought that he would have been egging on his boyfriend just as much as Baekhyun and Jongdae, or at least picking Kyungsoo's side and making things worse, but he just liked to sit back and watch the mess go down. He never threw in his two cents like Minseok would; just stayed quiet the entire time. Junmyeon couldn't read his expression or body language so he wasn't able to pin if the other was feeling upset or if this was just how he normally acted. None of the other men were showing any concern however, so he assumed this was just typical of Chanyeol. He was certainly an unpredictable man. 

Still, Junmyeon was actually enjoying himself; something he rarely did when surrounded with people he hardly knew. Although Jongdae and Baekhyun were quick to throw around casual insults, he felt no ill-intent behind their words. They even included him in the conversations; making sure that they asked him about his hobbies, and although Junmyeon provided some strange answers, such as that he liked to spend most his afternoons watching documentaries of alien conspiracies, they never shot him any judgemental glances. He expected that from people, even Soojung judged him at first when he first revealed that about himself. In fact, Junmyeon revealing that only led to a heated debate between Chanyeol and Kyungsoo if aliens even existed in the first place. It was quite entertaining for him to say the least, especially when he was able to (hopefully) impress everyone with his alien facts.

He could tell that they were a close knit of friends and that somehow made him feel at...ease? He wasn't entirely sure how to express how he was feeling. That was another thing that he often struggled with. Regardless, he felt content for the most part with them. He was even starting to warm up to Chanyeol, seeing him in this relaxed state. He wondered why Chanyeol wasn't this calm in the mornings? Usually it was the other way around for most people; tired in the morning and then more awake as the day progresses. For Chanyeol though he only seemed to grow more and more tired throughout the day. It's not even like Chanyeol had a hard day of work; he just played on his phone the majority of the morning while pretending to clean the counters off. If anything he should be bursting at the seams with energy.

However, it's not until Jongdae mentions the time and that he has to be somewhere that reality sets in. It's past twelve in the afternoon. The strangled noise that escapes Junmyeon's lips must have been loud enough for the others to hear if Chanyeol and Kyungsoo's sudden attention on him was anything to go off. His heart was pounding in his chest and he was no doubt starting to feel lightheaded. He's never been late to the library; not once. He had no idea what to do, he was honestly beside himself. Realistically speaking, he knew the library was still there and wouldn't just disappear because he didn't make it on time- so why did it feel that way?

"Oh, shit." Chanyeol mumbles when glancing at his wrist watch. Junmyeon can't help but cringe violently from the foul language that slips from his lips with such ease. He could feel a panic attack coming on and he really wish he could control it better; he didn't want to lose the friends he might have just made today. Even if it was only for a brief moment, he finally felt as if he felt in with a group. Just his luck that he would throw it away over something as silly to him as a panic attack.

His breathing is becoming quite labored and he has to cover his ears with his hands in order to block out the increasingly loud noises surrounding him. His trembling fingers are clutching onto his hair tightly, his eyes squeezed shut as he tries to talk himself out of his panic attack. His father always used to tell him that even if he felt like he was losing control that he was fine. It's just his body's response to danger; even if there's no actual danger present. Nothing would happen to him and once the feelings subsided he would be alright. If only his father were here right now to talk him down. "Oh, darling," he can hear Kyungsoo's concerned voice in the distance, "we can get you to the library. We can leave right now." And on top of the stress of missing the library, he was now dealing with the stress of potentially scaring off Kyungsoo and Chanyeol, and even Minseok, Jongdae, and Baekhyun. These thoughts were only stressing him out even more and making his panic attack only grow that much worse. _Why can't he do anything right?_

He's crying now; something that he absolutely hates doing in front of people. Tears are streaming down his cheeks while he tries to pull himself into a small ball as a means to block out the rest of the world around him. "You didn't tell me it would be this bad if we were late." It's Kyungsoo again and his unhappy tone is more than likely directed at Chanyeol. 

"I just thought it was OCD." 

"You two bickering in front of him won't help!" He's pretty sure that's Baekhyun yelling. The three of them are now arguing and Junmyeon thinks he's going to actually die if they don't stop.  _Deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out. Junmyeon, just breathe. It'll be okay._ A loud sob escapes from him as his body starts to shake, burying his face in his knees as he tries his best to stay balanced in the dining room chair, least he fall off and throw himself even further into the deep end. 

"Hush." A voice interrupts the heated argument that's unraveling in front of him, though Junmyeon refuses to reopen his eyes and look at the scene in front of him. Confrontation was scary and that was the last thing he needed right now. He didn't think his faint heart could handle it. "You're only panicking the poor man even more. Can't you see that he's having a panic attack? You don't fight and scream in front of someone who's having one. You're only making it worse. I have students who have panic attacks; I know what to do." He can't quite pinpoint whose voice that is; either Jongdae or Minseok. "Junmyeon," the voice is much closer to him now than it was before, "can you please open your eyes for me?" Junmyeon quickly shakes his head in response. The last thing he wanted to do was open his eyes and see everyone's judgemental faces staring at him. "Please? I promise no one's mad at you. No one's judging you either." He was nearly dry heaving at this point from how hard he was crying and he knew he needed to get himself pulled together soon. Too bad that was easier said than done. 

He slowly blinks his eyes open, tears falling from his bottom lashes as he stares at the person behind the calming voice. It was Minseok. "Hi, Junmyeon." He says with a soft smile. 

"H-Hi, Minseok." He manages to croak out. 

"Can you breathe with me?" He asks softly. "Breathe in and then breathe out? Only a few seconds at a time." Junmyeon nods his head clumsily as he shakily reaches a hand up to wipe the tears from his wet cheeks. "One, two..." He instructs softly before inhaling with Junmyeon, holding for two seconds before exhaling. They repeat the process a few times until Junmyeon can stop coughing every time he goes to inhale and until his sobbing lessens to sniffles. "Can I touch you?" He asks gently. It was innocent; Minseok only wanted to hold his hands as he walked him through this. It worked with a few of his students, though others would decline it as touches could make the attack worse. To his and to Junmyeon's own surprise he agrees and Minseok's slipping his hands into Junmyeon's trembling ones. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Junmyeon's voice can reach no higher than a whisper. 

"Good." Minseok says in a tone that matches Junmyeon's. "Was that because of the library?" He only receives a weak nod in response. "We can still get you there. Yes," he treads carefully, "you'll be a little late, but we can still get you there. Kyungsoo or I can even stay with you." That thought did make Junmyeon feel a little better. He was still a mess for even arriving late in the first place, but unlike The Flower Pot he absolutely could not skip out on the library; even if he was late. 

"Chanyeol." He chokes out. 

"What about Chanyeol? You want Chanyeol to stay with you at the library?" Junmyeon honestly had no idea why he was insisting that Chanyeol of all people accompany and stay with him at the library, but that's exactly what he was doing. Minseok throws a glance Chanyeol's way before the tall man nods enthusiastically. 

"I like books." He states dumbly. Junmyeon can't help but choke out a laugh from his words. The man probably never even picked up a book in his life. If he were remotely smart he'd be requesting for Kyungsoo or Minseok to go with him, but for unknown reasons he just really wanted the company of the pink haired giant. Everyone besides said pink haired giant seemed to be concerned with this decision as well. Clearly Chanyeol wasn't the most fit to be left alone with someone post-panic attack. 

"Well, we can get you all dried up and then I can drop you two off at the library." Kyungsoo says gently. He has a small smile on his lips, guilt displayed all over his facial features from his earlier argument with Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Junmyeon only nods his head in response before Minseok carefully helps him out of his seat, leading him down to one of the hall bathrooms with Chanyeol trailing not too far behind. What was Junmyeon getting himself into? 

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I hope the first chapter's okay! I'm sorry it took me so long to publish this; I uploaded this story when I was in the middle of finals and work. Since they ended on Friday I'll have more time now. ;u; hopefully it didn't disappoint. 


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